Out of the 100,000 doses of anthrax vaccine that were expected to be delivered by Zipline to help stop the disease’s spread in the area, the Upper East regional veterinary department has already received roughly 40,000 doses. This is in response to the anthrax outbreak in some localities that required a temporary prohibition on the transportation of cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, and donkeys as well as the consumption of their flesh.
The ban was put in place by the Regional Public Health Emergency Management Committee. Receiving the vaccines together with veterinary officers at the regional hospital, Mr. Stephen Yakubu, the Upper East Regional Minister, stated that the delivery started on Monday in the various districts where there is a need.
According to the Regional Minister, the 100,000 doses have been supported by the government to help control the anthrax situation in the region. He expressed optimism that 70 percent of animals in the region will be vaccinated with the expected 100,000 vaccines.
“Zipline is helping us to move them [vaccine] across the entire region; already, they have done about 400,000 of this vaccine. We are delivering where it is needed; as soon as we need it, we call them, and they deliver, and today they are going to deliver Bolga, which is why we are here this morning. We hope that these 100,000 should be able to map this 70 percent mark that we are looking forward to be able to lift the ban,” she said.
Touching on the upcoming Eid-ul-Adha celebration by Muslims 28th June 2023, the Minister explained that if the veterinary department manages to vaccinate up to 70 percent of animals across the region, the ban may be lifted for the celebration.
Dr. Henry Nii Ayi Anang Upper East Regional Director of the department of veterinary noted with delivery of the additional vaccine after they have exhausted the already previous 400,000 delivered to them earlier in the week will go a long way to help them fest track the vaccination exercise across the region.
The community integration lead of the zipline at the Walewale center, Abdul-Jalil Abdulai stated that his outfit is ready to deliver anthrax vaccines across the various districts in northern Ghana to contain the spread of the disease.
Source: A1Radioonline.Com|101.1MHZ|David Azure |Bolgatanga|
